The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-06-25

calves liver fried to black leathery SUBJ
stance; the bread old and dry and the
turnips rank and unsavory.
II say, pa" exclaimed Tom, "we're all
gettin' spring poor. I don't care hang
for my vittles. Let's have dozen Of
lager; that'll set us all up"
So the lager came, was used up, and
another dozen ordered, and then another;
but the appetites did not improve-nor
the cooking. At last the beer seller re-
fused to fetch more, unless what he had
brought them was paid for.
"Oh, dear! Oh, desrp sighed Aunt
Pratt, "What hole in the bagP
Next day she said to her niece: SLOW
isy, will you let me buy and cook the
dinner tomorrow? I'll make you pres
emit OF all the vittles 1 get, if you will"
Louisa consented, much astonished,
and Aunt Pratt came back from market
with two pounds OF solid beef-a coarse
piece it is true, but cheap and fresh She
bought few onions, carrot and one
small stalk OF celery, the whole cost thir-
ty.six cents. Then she prepared stew
and pairing the potatoes put them in cold
water till it was time TO add them; the
celery, two onions, half a carrot sliced
thin were put in with the beef, which
she bad cut into pieces OF perhaps two
inches square. Salt and pepper were
sprinkled in Literally and as she put her
stew on before breakfast and let it SIM
mer all the morning, adding the sliced
potatoes at eleven o'clock, it WAS we'll
done by noon.
George! how good the dinner SMELLS"
CALCULATED Tom.
SCOT roast turkey, Lou?" inquired
Potter, shifting and smelling.
Even listIess Lou wanted some dinner
that day; the rest recovered their appe-
tites-without any more lager!
II wish the land you'd learn cookin' of
Aunt Pratt" said Potterr'
81 wonder if I've sewed up that hole?"
thought Aunt Pratt.
But she had not Louisa was too old
to learn new tricks, as we say about
dogs; she continued to buy the best meat
and cook it the worst way, and still the
money leaked from that hole in the bag
"Hullo; Toni said Potter one Sunday
morning as Tom sauntered into the room
with half smoked cigar in his mouth.
"Ain't you toney? Why, that cigar smells
like roser'
Aunt Pratt wondered what sort of rose
had an odor like tobacco.
cit had ought to-" sententiously re-
marked Tom. Them fellers cost me five
cents apiece by the hundredP'
"Well, kin put up with my pipe so
fur; but you young fellers have got to
have your fling, reckon. By'm-by
| you'll fall back on brier wood an niger
| head"
"Another hole in the bag" murmured
Aunt Pratt who had patiently darned
Toms thresdbare socks and patched his
worn shirts for him every week for
months.
"Well, here bel" shouted Potter as he
came in one Monday morning about ten
o'clock.
"Why, what has fetched You homer"
inquired his wife.
"Oh, our fellows have struck; we're
goin' to have less work and more pay;
them darned capitalists has overrode us
long enough; we're bound to have our
share of the dollars we make now tell
you"
"For the mercy sakesp calculated
Louisa.
"Where are you going to work now?"
dryly asked Aunt Pratt.
"Why, back again, as soon as the
bosses come to terme."
"But aupposing they shouldnt9"
"Oh, they've got to, can't lose their
contracts no way; we've got 'em where
the hairs short.
"But supposing they hold out for a
months time or six weeks?"
"Ob, we've got 'lowance out of the
assessments; we amt going to stsrve."
"Who's paying them, assessments?"
"The fellers that have got money laid
away; they're taxed for the general good
SO much week till the strikes over"
"Be you assessed?"
"Lord do you think I've got a cent in
the bank? Four children and starvin'
wages. What's three dollars a day with
four in the family, an clothes, an rent,
an vittles, an light an fuel, an doctors,
an Lord knows what all?"
"a bag with holesP ran through Aunt
Praft's mind as she looked back on the
past six months.
Weeks passed on; the chooses" we're
not only firm but hired other men in the
strikers places and went on with the
contracts. Potter sulked and loupged
and swore, and made his pipe and him
self daily nuisance in the house. Be-
fore long Aunt Pratt discovered that the
assessments we're decreasing, and alarm
ed lest Potter should insist on sharing
her small property among his brood, on
communistic principles, she quietly with
drew herself one day to an Old Ladies'
Home, where the payment OF small sum
insured her peaceful and pleasant home
for life and from her retreat she gave
much aid and comfort to the women
of the Potter family, but refused any to